Archbishops of Canterbury Archbishops of Canterbury By Ben Johnson | Comments In the Christian church, an archbishop is a bishop of superior rank who has authority over other bishops in an ecclesiastic province or area. The Church of England is presided over by two archbishops: the archbishop of Canterbury, who is 'primate of All England', and the archbishop of York, who is 'primate of England'. In the time of St. Augustine, around the 5th century it was intended that England would be divided into two provinces with two archbishops, one at London and one at York . Canterbury gained supremacy just prior to the Reformation in the 16th century, when it exercised the powers of papal legate throughout England. It is the Archbishop of Canterbury who has the privilege of crowning the kings and queens of England and ranks immediately after the princes of royal blood. The Archbishop's official residence is at Lambeth Palace, London, and second residence at the Old Palace, Canterbury. The first Archbishop of Canterbury was Augustine. Originally prior to the Benedictine monastery of St. Andrew in Rome, he was sent to England by Pope Gregory I with the mission to convert the natives to Roman Christianity.

Landing in Ebbesfleet, Kent in 597 Augustine quickly converted his first native when he baptized Ethelbert, King of Kent along with many of his subjects. He was consecrated Bishop of the English at Arles that same year and appointed archbishop in 601, establishing his seat at Canterbury. In 603 he attempted unsuccessfully to unite the Roman and native Celtic churches at a conference on the Severn. The following list traces the Archbishops from the time of Augustine through the Reformation, up to the present day. Their influence on the history of England and the English people is apparent for all to see. Archbishops of Canterbury 604 Laurentius. Nominated by St. Augustine as his successor. Had a rocky ride when King Ethelbert of Kent was succeeded by his pagan son Eadbald. Remaining calm Laurentius eventually converted Eadbald to Christianity, thus preserving the Roman mission in England. 627 Honorius. The last of the group of Roman missionaries who had accompanied St. Augustine to England. 668 Theodore (of Tarsus).

The Greek theologian was already in his sixties when he was sent to England by Pope Vitalian to assume the role of archbishop. Despite his age he went on to reorganise the English Church creating the diocesan structure, uniting for the first time the people of England. 693 Berhtwald. The first archbishop of English birth. Worked with King Wihtred of Kent to develop the laws of the land. Cuthbert. Established England as an important base from which Anglo-Saxon missionaries were despatched abroad. 765 Jaenberht. Backed the wrong horse in the King of Kent against King Offa of Mercia. He saw the importance of Canterbury reduce as power shifted to Offa's cathedral in Lichfield. 793 Ethelheard, St. Originally chosen by King Offa of Mercia, to make Lichfield into the premier archbishopric in England. Ethelheard appears to have messed things up a little in the politics of the day, and unwittingly succeeded in reinstating Canterbury's traditional superiority. 805 Wulfred.

As with his predecessors Wulfred's rule was frequently disrupted by disputes with the kings of Mercia and was at one stage exiled by King Cenwulf. 833 Ceolnoth. Maintained Canterbury's superiority within the Church of England by forming close relationships with the rising power of the Kings of Wessex, and abandoning the pro-Mercian policies of Feologeld. 890 Plegmund. Appointed Archbishop by Alfred the Great. Plegmund played an influential role in the reigns of both Alfred and Edward the Elder. He was involved in early efforts to convert the Danelaw to Christianity. 942 Oda. Oda's career serves to demonstrate the integration of Scandinavians into English society. The son of a pagan who came to England with the Viking 'Great Army', Oda organised the reintroduction of a bishopric into the Scandinavian settlements of East Anglia. 960 Dunstan. He was originally Abbot of Glastonbury from 945, and made it a centre of learning. He was King Edred's chief advisor and virtually became the kingdom's ruler.

Following the death of Edred in 955, his nephew King Edwy drove Dunstan into exile for refusing to authorize his proposed marriage with Ælfgifu. After Edwy's death in 959, Dunstan became Archbishop of Canterbury from 960. He is said to have pulled the devil's nose with a pair of tongs. His feast day is 19th May. 990 Sigeric. In the reign of Ethelred II the Unready, Sigeric was promoted from humble monk to the top job of archbishop. He is associated with the policy of paying Danegeld in an attempt to buy off Scandanavian attacks. 1005 Alphege. In 1012, he was captured by the Danes who had invaded Kent, and was held at Greenwich. He refused to pay his own ransom, and, during a drunken feast at which the Danes threw left-over bones and skulls at Alphege, he was murdered by a Dane whom he had converted to Christianity earlier in the day., The Danish leader, Thorkill, was disgusted by the murder and changed sides, bringing 45 ships to Æthelred 's service.

In 1033, Canute moved Alphege's bones from St Paul's Cathedral to Canterbury Cathedral. 1020 Ethelnoth. One of the most distinguished of the Anglo-Saxon archbishops. The first monk of the Canterbury monastery to be elected archbishop. 1051 Robert of Jumieges. One of a small number of Normans who came to England with Edward the Confessor in 1041. His scheming and elevation to archbishop fuelled a civil war between Edward and Earl Godwine of Wessex. Robert was also the ambassador who promised the succession to Duke William (The Conqueror) of Normandy. 1052 Stigand. Became archbishop after the expulsion of Robert of Jumieges, as such he was never recognised by the church in Rome. A worldly and very wealthy man he was at first accepted by William I The Conqueror, but in 1070 was deposed by Papal Legate. 1070 Lanfranc. A native of Italy, he left home around 1030 to pursue his studies in France.

He was responsible for presenting the case to the Pope for William of Normandy's claim to the English crown. It was William I The Conqueror who appointed him archbishop in 1070. Lanfranc was responsible for reforming and reorganising the English Church and rebuilt the Cathedral on the model of St Stephen's in Caen where he had previously been Abbot. 1093 Anselm. Another Italian who had left home in search of better things and had found Lefranc as Prior at the Norman Abbey of Bec. He followed in Lefranc's footsteps first as Prior and then as Archbishop. His strongly held views on the Church-State relationship would greatly influence Thomas a Becket and continue to rumble on for centuries ensuring a greater control of the Church from Rome. 1139 Theobald. Yet another monk from the Norman Abbey of Bec. He was created Archbishop by Stephen. The relationship between the King and Archbishop strained over the years culminating in Theobald refusing to crown Stephen's son Eustace. He drew Thomas a Becket into his service Thomas a Becket .

Worked as a banker's clerk before entering the service of Archbishop Theobald of Canterbury in 1145. He was a close friend of Henry II and was Chancellor from 1152 until 1162, when he was elected archbishop. He then changed his allegiance to the church, alienating Henry. In 1164, he opposed Henry's attempt to control the relations between church and state – preferring the clergy to be judged by the church and not by the state – and fled to France. There was a reconciliation between Henry and Becket and he returned in 1170, but the reconciliation soon broke down. After an outburst from the king, four knights – probably misunderstanding Henry's instructions – murdered Becket in front of the altar of Canterbury Cathedral on 29th December 1170. He was canonised – as St Thomas Becket – in 1172, and his shrine became the most popular destination of pilgrimage in England until the Reformation. His feast day is 29th December. 1184 Baldwin.

Despite being described as gentle and guileless, he did take action when needed, galloping up and saving Gilbert of Plumpton from the gallows, forbidding such hangman's work on a Sunday. Also saw action in the Crusades, he died five weeks after his 200 knights had fought at Acre. 1193 Hubert Walter. Rector of Halifax in 1185. He travelled to the Holy Land with Richard the Lion-Heart on the Third Crusade 1190 and, when Richard was taken prisoner by emperor Henry VI, Walter brought the army back to England and raised a ransom of 100,000 marks for the king's release. He was Dean of York from 1186 to 1189, then Bishop of Salisbury, and he became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1193. On Richard's death in 1199, he was appointed Chancellor 1207 Stephen Langton. He was consecrated archbishop by Pope Innocent III, which annoyed King John so much that he refused to admit him into England. The quarrel between King and Pope lasted until John submitted in 1213.

Once in England he proved to be an important mediator playing a key role in negotiating Magna Carta . 1375 Simon Sudbury. He was blamed for government mismanagement and unjust taxation which led to the Peasants' Revolt of 1381, led by Wat Tyler . The 'revolting' rebels dragged him from the Tower of London and beheaded him. His mummified head is displayed in the vestry of St. Gregory's church in Sudbury, Suffolk. 1381 William Courtenay. He led the opposition within the English Church to John Wyclif, dubbed by some to be 'the morning star of the Reformation', and the Lollards, and was influential in driving them out of Oxford. 1396 Thomas Arundel. The combination of his high aristocratic birth and driving ambition made him one of the most powerful men in England. His political connections led first to his banishment by Richard II in 1397, and then to his restoration by Henry IV two years later. 1414 Henry Chichele. He helped to finance the war against France, organised the fight against Lollardy and founded All Souls College in Oxford.

1443 John Stafford. It was said of him if he had done little good he had done no harm. 1452 John Kempe. Initially Henry V's Keeper of the Privy Seal and Chancellor in Normandy, he also served two terms as Chancellor of England. Before becoming Archbishop of Canterbury he was Bishop of; Rochester (1419-21), Chichester (1421), London (1421-5) and York (1425-52). 1454 Thomas Bourchier. Also served as Chancellor of England from 1455 to 1456, during an illness of Henry VI and while Richard of York was Protector. 1486 John Morton. Originally an Oxford-trained lawyer he fled to Flanders, to the court of Henry Tudor, after Richard III attempted to imprison him in 1483. Henry VII summoned him home after his victory at Bosworth in 1485 and made him archbishop.

After this he applied much of his energy to financial matters of state giving his name to the 'Morton's fork' principle of tax assessment: ostentation is proof of wealth - stricken appearance is proof of hidden savings. 1503 William Warham. He expressed doubts as to the wisdom of Henry VIII marrying Catherine of Aragon, the widow of Prince Arthur, but presided at their coronation. He did nothing to help Catherine against Henry's efforts to have their marriage declared null, but was less than happy with the increasingly anti-papal royal policy adopted after 1530. The martyrdom of Thomas Cranmer, from an old edition of Foxe's Book of Martyrs Archbishops of Canterbury since the Reformation 1533 Thomas Cranmer. Compiled the first English Book of Common Prayer. First Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury. In 1551, his 42 Articles laid down the basis of Anglican Protestantism. Burned at the stake for heresy and treason in opposing Bloody Mary. His feast day is 16th October. 1556 Reginald Pole. Returned from a self imposed exile in Italy following the accession of his Catholic cousin Queen Mary I.

He died within a few hours of her in November 1558. 1559 Mathew Parker. He was apparently surprised when Elizabeth I decided that her mother's (Anne Boleyn) old chaplain would make an ideal Archbishop of Canterbury. Presided over the very difficult opening years of the new religious settlement. 1576 Edmund Grindal. He had been exiled under Queen Mary I because of his Protestant beliefs and was therefore the obvious choice for the top job in the Church of Elizabeth I. His defiance of her wishes in 1577 however, led to his suspension under house arrest. He failed to recovered favour by the time of his death. 1583 John Whitgift. A former Cambridge don, he first attracted the attention of Elizabeth I by his strict disciplining of the non-conforming Puritans. Yet another archbishop who annoyed the lady, with the thought that a clergyman should attempt to decide theology for her Church. 1604 Richard Bancroft. Was born and intially educated in Farnworth, near modern day Widnes, he graduated from Cambridge and was ordained around 1570.

Whilst still Bishop of London, he drafted the rules for the translation of what would eventually become the 'most popular book in the world' ... The King James Bible . 1611 George Abbot. He found favour under James I, his reputation as a churchman however was dented when he accidentally killed a gamekeeper whilst out hunting with a crossbow. 1633 William Laud. His High Church policy, support for Charles I, censorship of the press, and persecution of the Puritans aroused bitter opposition. He was responsible for moving the altar from a its central position to the east end of churches. His attempt to impose the Prayer Book in Scotland precipitated the Civil War. He was impeached by the Long Parliament in 1640, imprisoned in the Tower of London, condemned to death, and beheaded. 1660 William Juxon. A friend of William Laud, he had attended Charles I at his execution in 1649 and spent the years until the restoration of Charles II in retirement. His appointment as archbishop in 1660 being a reward for loyal royal service. 1663 Gilbert Sheldon.

Another former advisor to Charles I, he attempted to unite the thinking of the Anglican and Presbyterian branches of the Church. 1678 William Sancroft. Following an unsuccessful attempt to convert King James II to Anglicanism, he and the king fell out. He openly and publicly defied royal orders to accept the King's Declaration of Indulgence for Dissenters and Catholics. A man of integrity it appears, as he played no part in Glorious Revolution and argued that the oath he had taken to James precluded him taking another to William III and Mary II. 1691 John Tillotson. He succeeded Sancroft as archbishop, having carried out the duties of the office since 1689 when Sancroft had refused to take the oaths that recognised William and Mary as rightful monarchs. William of Orange 1695 Thomas Tenison. A 'friend' of those who invited William of Orange to England in 1688. He warned about the threat to Anglicanism from a Stuart restoration. 1716 William Wake. He attempted to persuade the French Gallican Church to break with Rome and ally itself with the Church of England.

In later life he gained a reputation for corruption, appointing members of his family to financially lucrative positions within the Church. Frederick Temple. Followed the well worn path from Oxford to Rugby to Canterbury. 1903 Randall Thomas Davidson. Born in Edinburgh into a Presbyterian family, he studied at Oxford, and became chaplain to Archbishop Tait (his father-in-law) and also to Queen Victoria . 1928 Cosmo Gordon Lang. Born in Fyvie, Aberdeenshire, he was Principal of Aberdeen University and entered the Church of England in 1890. He was both counsellor and friend to the royal family. 1942 William Temple. The son of Frederick Temple he deviated the well worn path from Oxford to Canterbury via Repton. He was an outspoken supporter of social reform in crusades against money lenders, slums and dishonesty. 1945 Geoffrey Francis Fisher. He also followed the now deeply rutted path from Oxford to Repton to Canterbury. As archbishop he crowned Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Abbey in 1953. 1961 Arthur Michael Ramsey.

Educated at Repton, where his headmaster was the man he would succeed as archbishop - Geoffrey Fisher, he worked for Church unity with an historic visit to the Vatican in 1966. He also attempted to forge a reconciliation with the Methodist Church. About Lambeth Palace About Lambeth Palace Lambeth Palace has been a London residence of Archbishops of Canterbury since the 13th century. Lambeth Palace, on the south bank of the River Thames opposite Parliament, has been a historic London residence of Archbishops of Canterbury since the 13th Century. It acts as a home for the Archbishop and his family when in London - and as the central office for his national and international ministry. The Archbishop employs a team of staff to support him in his work here. In addition to the Archbishop's senior advisers and administrative staff, the Palace is serviced by a building manager, steward, cook, gardeners, gatekeepers and cleaners, all of whom take care of the historic building and its grounds. The Palace serves as a venue for hospitality and events for the Church of England, while in the summer its sizeable grounds play host to garden parties for organisations and charities supported by the Archbishop.

Guided tours of the Palace take place regularly, allowing visitors to explore the buildings and grounds and learn about their history. The grounds of Lambeth Palace are also home to the Lambeth Palace Library , the historic library and record office of the Archbishops of Canterbury and the principal repository of the documentary history of the Church of England. Its collections have been freely available for research since 1610. The library has recently begun placing much of its archived material online and its collection has been awarded designated status by the Museum, Libraries and Archives Council. In recent years it has become necessary to increase the care and maintenance of Lambeth Palace. Following an environmental audit by Imperial College London, special consideration has been given to the environmental impact of plans for future work to upgrade the fabric of the Palace. Possibilities for energy self-generation are to be incorporated when all major renovations are considered in future. Archbishop of Canterbury to host refugees at official London residence | UK news | The Guardian Justin Welby Archbishop of Canterbury to host refugees at official London residence Justin Welby criticises government response to migration crisis and offers space for ‘a family or two’ in cottage at Lambeth Palace Lambeth Palace in London, where Justin Welby has promised to offer Syrian refugees housing.

Photograph: Philip Toscano/PA Sunday 20 September 2015 08.08 EDT Last modified on Friday 13 January 2017 10.12 EST Close This article is 1 year old The archbishop of Canterbury is to take in Syrian refugees at his official London residence, saying “Jesus was a refugee”. Justin Welby is to house “a family or two” in a four-bedroom cottage in the grounds of Lambeth Palace on the south bank of the Thames, a spokeswoman confirmed on Sunday. His gesture follows a similar move by the Catholic church. Pope Francis said two refugee families would move into Vatican housing , but Lambeth Palace said it was something the archbishop has been considering for a while. A spokeswoman said the cottage in the palace grounds was currently being redecorated and could provide room for a “family or two”. She said: “As a Christian who leads the Church of England it is something he feels absolutely passionate about.

“As the archbishop has said, Jesus was a refugee, and there are refugees here who are desperate for sanctuary from war-torn places and the archbishop is completely torn about their situation and wants to make a difference.” The rent for the refugees would be paid for by charitable funds under the archbishop’s personal control, she said. Britain’s response to the refugee crisis facing Europe is to take 20,000 refugees from camps on the borders of Syria over the next five years. Welby has been critical of the government’s response , saying it is very slim in the context of figures given by the UN high commissioner for refugees and the European commission. He is also reported to have met the prime minister earlier this month amid growing concerns that Christians in Syria will be largely excluded from the refugees due to come to the UK. Addressing the House of Lords, he said that “within the camps there is significant intimidation and radicalisation, and many particularly of the Christian population who have been forced to flee are unable to be in the camps”. A Vatican parish has already taken in a Christian family of four refugees from Syria following the pope’s pledge earlier this month.

The St Anna parish – Sant’Anna dei Palafrenieri in Italian – accepted one of two families it promised to take in: a father, mother and two children who fled their home in Damascus. They are said to be Christian of the Catholic Greek Melkite rite. The Vatican said the family would be staying at an apartment near St Peter’s in the Vatican and that they had immediately followed procedures to apply for asylum in Italy. The continent’s biggest migratory flow since 1945 has opened a deep rift between western and eastern members of the EU over how to distribute the refugees fairly, and raised questions over the fate of the Schengen agreement allowing borderless travel within the 28-nation bloc. Several countries have imposed border controls, as recent figures have shown nearly half a million people have braved perilous trips across the Mediterranean to reach Europe so far this year, while the EU has received almost a quarter of a million asylum requests in the three months to June.

Archbishops of Canterbury Archbishops of Canterbury Roman Catholic Church Top Surnames From History Magazine - History UK - History of England- Archbishops of Canterbury : in the Christian church, an archbishop is a bishop of superior rank who has authority over other bishops in an ecclesiastic province or area. The Church of England is presided over by two archbishops: the archbishop of Canterbury, who is 'primate of All England', and the archbishop of York, who is 'primate of England'. In the time of St. Augustine, around the 5th century it was intended that England would be divided into two provinces with two archbishops, one at London and one at York. Canterbury gained supremacy just prior to the Reformation in the 16th century, when it exercised the powers of papal legate throughout England. It is the Archbishop of Canterbury who has the privilege of crowning the kings and queens of England and ranks immediately after the princes of royal blood. The Archbishop's official residence is at Lambeth Palace, London, and second residence at the Old Palace, Canterbury. The first Archbishop of Canterbury was Augustine. Originally prior to the Benedictine monastery of St.

Andrew in Rome, he was sent to England by Pope Gregory I with the mission to convert the natives to Roman Christianity. Landing in Ebbesfleet, Kent in 597 Augustine quickly converted his first native when he baptized Ethelbert, King of Kent along with many of his subjects. He was consecrated Bishop of the English at Arles that same year and appointed archbishop in 601, establishing his seat at Canterbury. In 603 he attempted unsuccessfully to unite the Roman and native Celtic churches at a conference on the Severn. The following list traces the Archbishops from the time of Augustine through the Reformation, up to the present day. Their influence on the history of England and the English people is apparent for all to see. List of the Archbishops of Canterbury from Archbishops of Canterbury page by Peter J. Large The year 1997 marks the 1400th anniversary of the landing of Augustine on the shores of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Kent. Augustine was an Italian Benedictine monk, sent by Saint Gregory the Great, Bishop of Rome, to convert the English to Christianity.

To mark this anniversary, there appears below a list of Augustine's successors in the See of Canterbury up to and including Rowan Williams, the present Archbishop, Primate of All England and Metropolitan. You can find a similar list on the Archbishop of Canterbury's Home Page , but it does not give the number of succession.

1 Augustine 597-605 36 Ralph de Turbine 1114-1122 37 William de Corbeuil 1123-1136 38 Theobald 1139-1161 46 Edmund Rich (de Abbendon) 1233-1240 47 Boniface of Savoy 1240-1270 48 Robert Kilwardby 1273-1278 52 Simon de Meopham 1327-1333 53 John Stratford 133-1348 54 John de Ufford 1348-1349 55 Thomas Bradwardin 1349 91 John Bird Sumner 1848-1862 92 Charles Thomas Longley 1862-1868 93 Archibald Campbell Tait 1868-1882 94 Edward White Benson 1882-1896 95 Frederick Temple 18

96-1902 97 Cosmo Gordon Lang 1928-1942 98 William Temple 1942-1944 99 Geoffrey Francis Fisher 1945-1961 100 Arthur Michael Ramsey 1961-1974 101 Frederick Donald Coggan 1974-1980 102 Robert Alexander Kennedy Runcie 1980-1991 103 George Leonard Carey 1991-2002 104 Rowan Douglas Williams 2002-2012 105 Justin Welby 2013- Archbishop of Canterbury - OrthodoxWiki Archbishop of Canterbury Jump to: navigation , search The Archbishop of Canterbury is "the primate of all England" within the Church of England and the spiritual head of the Anglican Communion .

His see is at Canterbury Cathedral in Kent, England and his residence is Lambeth Palace in London. Contents 5 External link The current archbishop The current Archbishop of Canterbury is the Right Honorable and Most Reverend Justin Welby, 105th holder of the Chair of St. Augustine of Canterbury . The previous archbishop Rowan Douglas Williams was born in Wales on June 14 , 1950. He studied theology at Christ's College of Cambridge University where he doctoral work on the Russian Orthodox Church and particularly the thought of Vladimir Lossky . For some years he was a professor of theology at Oxford University. In 1992 he was elevated to Anglican Bishop of Monmouth, and then in 2000 he was made Anglican Archbishop of Wales. In 2002 he was elevated to Archbishop of Canterbury, from which he retired in 2012. A prolific writer, Dr. Williams has published books in theology, spirituality, Christian history and poetry.

Of particular interest to Orthodox Christians might be two books of meditations on icons , entitled The Dwelling of the Light: Praying With Icons of Christ ( ISBN 0802827780 ) and Ponder These Things: Praying With Icons of the Virgin ( ISBN 1580511244 ). He is also the editor of the book Sergii Bulgakov: Towards a Russian Political Theology ( ISBN 056708650X ). History Christianity reached England by the middle of the second century. As St. Bede relates in his Ecclesiastical History of the English People , in 156 a British King by the name of Lucius wrote to Eleutherus, bishop of Rome, asking to be made a Christian. (Bk 1, Chap 4) With the work of missionaries throughout the first few centuries AD, Christianity spread and took root. In 596 Pope Gregory the Great decided to send a mission to the Anglo-Saxons in the British Isles. He chose a to send a group of Benedictine monks, under the leadership of St. Augustine of Canterbury (not to be confused with Augustine of Hippo ).

Augustine and his fellow monks arrived in Kent in 597 and eventually a see city was set up in Canterbury, Augustine being the first Archbishop. It is said that that when they arrived they were "carrying a silver cross and an image of Jesus Christ painted on a board, which thus became, so far as we know, 'Canterbury's first icon .'" (Lesser Feasts and Fasts, p. 252) With Augustine and those who came after him, the British Isles were slowly put under the authority of the Church of Rome. As with the rest of the Western Church, this authority increased over the next 500 years. Up until the time of the Anglican Reformation, the Archbishop of Canterbury was an appointee of the Bishop of Rome . Thus, at the time of the Great Schism the Church in England went along with the Western side of the break, accepting Papal supremacy and the Filioque . In the 16th century, England, influenced both by political factors and the Continental Reformation, broke away from Rome and became an independent Church.

Thus, the list of successive Archbishops of Canterbury, can be categorized according to three groups: Orthodox Archbishops, Roman Catholic Archbishops and Reformation Archbishops (see below). Archbishops of Canterbury throughout history Orthodox Archbishops of Canterbury Archbishop of Canterbury Archbishop of Canterbury Ministry Saints in Anglicanism The Archbishop of Canterbury is the head of the Church of England and of the worldwide Anglican Communion . He is the direct successor of St Augustine, the first Archbishop from AD 597 to 605. The present incumbent is Rowan Williams . Present roles and status Today the archbishop fills four main roles: he is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury, which covers the east of the County of Kent and extreme north-east Surrey. Founded in 597, it is the oldest bishopric in the English church. he is the metropolitan archbishop of the Province of Canterbury, which covers the southern two-thirds of England . as Primate of All England, he is the chief religious figure in the Church of England (the British sovereign is the " Supreme governor" of the church).

Power in the church is not highly centralised, so the archbishop (along with his "junior" colleague the Archbishop of York) must usually lead through persuasion. He plays an important part in national ceremonies such as coronations; thanks to his high public profile, his opinions are often in demand by the news media. as symbolic head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop is recognized as primus inter pares ("first among equals") of all Anglican primates. Since 1867 he has convened more or less decennial meetings of worldwide Anglican bishops, the Lambeth Conferences. The Archbishop's main residence is Lambeth Palace in the London Borough of Lambeth. He also has lodgings in the Old Palace, Canterbury , located beside Canterbury Cathedral , where his cathedra sits. As holder of one of the "five great sees" (along with those of York, London, Durham and Winchester), the Archbishop of Canterbury is ex officio one of the Lords Spiritual of the House of Lords . He is one of the highest-ranking men in England, ranking directly below the Royal Family. Since Henry VIII broke with Rome the Archbishops of Canterbury have been selected by the English (latterly British) monarch.

Today the choice is made in the name of the Sovereign by the prime minister, from a shortlist of two selected by an ad-hoc committee called the Crown Nominations Commission. As the current archbishop, the Most Reverend and Right Honourable Dr Rowan Douglas Williams , the 104th Lord Archbishop of Canterbury and Primate of All England was enthroned at Canterbury Cathedral on 27 February 2003; he signs himself Rowan Cantuar. He was previously Archbishop of Wales and Bishop of Monmouth. Additional roles In addition to his religious roles, the Archbishop also holds a number of other positions ex officio. Amongst there are: Visitor for the University of Kent (whose main campus is located at Canterbury ) Origins Records suggest that the Roman Britons had three Archbishops, seated in London , York , and Caerleon, an ancient city of South Wales. However, in the fifth and sixth centuries the country was overrun by the pagan Anglo-Saxons. Of the kingdoms they set up there, Kent had the closest ties to European trade and culture. The first Archbishop of Canterbury was Saint Augustine who arrived in Kent in 597, sent by Pope Gregory the Great on a mission to the English.

He was accepted by King Ethelbert, on his conversion to Christianity, about the year 598. Since then the Archbishops of Canterbury have been referred to as occupying the Chair of St Augustine Before the break with Papal authority in the 16th Century, the Church of England was an integral part of the continental Western European Church. Since the break, the Church of England, an established national church, still considers itself part of the broader Western Catholic tradition as well as being the "mother church" of the worldwide Anglican Communion, though no longer in communion with the See of Rome. Province and Diocese The Archbishop of Canterbury exercises metropolitical (or supervisory) jurisdiction over the Province of Canterbury, which encompasses thirty of the forty-four dioceses of the Church of England. (The remaining fourteen dioceses, in northern England, fall within the Province of York.) Formerly, the four dioceses of Wales were also under the Province of Canterbury; in 1920, however, the Welsh dioceses transferred from the established Church of England to the disestablished Church in Wales. View of Canterbury Cathedral from the north west circa 1890-1900.

The Archbishop of Canterbury has a ceremonial provincial curia, or court, consisting of some of the senior bishops of his province. The Bishop of London—the most senior cleric of the Church with the exception of the two Archbishops—serves as Canterbury's Provincial Dean, the Bishop of Winchester as Chancellor, the Bishop of Lincoln as Vice-Chancellor, the Bishop of Salisbury as Precentor, the Bishop of Worcestor as Chaplain and the Bishop of Rochester as Cross-Bearer. The question of whether the Archbishop of Canterbury or the Archbishop of York should take precedence was once a cause of a long struggle. The dispute was temporarily resolved in 1071 after Lanfranc, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Thomas of Bayeux, Archbishop of York, submitted the matter to the Pope . Pope Alexander II decided that Canterbury was to have precedence, and that future Archbishops of York would have to be consecrated by, and swear allegiance to, the Archbishop of Canterbury. In 1119, however, the Archbishop-Elect of York, Thurstan, refused to acknowledge the pre-eminence of Canterbury. As a consequence, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Ralph d'Escures, refused to consecrate him.

When Thurstan appealed to Rome, Pope Callixtus II not only personally consecrated him, but also issued a papal bull repudiating the supremacy of Canterbury. The matter was finally settled by Pope Innocent VI during the fourteenth century. Under Pope Innocent's arrangement, which lasts to this day, the Archbishop of Canterbury would be recognised as superior to the Archbishop of York. The former would be acknowledged as "Primate of All England", and the latter as "Primate of England". The pre-eminence of the Archbishop of Canterbury is acknowledged by an Act of Parliament passed during the reign of Henry VIII. The Archbishop of Canterbury also has a precedence of honour over the other archbishops of the Anglican Communion. He is recognised as primus inter pares, or first amongst equals. The Archbishop of Canterbury, however, does not exercise any direct authority in the provinces outside England. The Archbishop at the present time has four suffragan bishops. One of these, the Suffragan Bishop of Dover, is given the additional title of "Bishop in Canterbury" and empowered to act almost as if he were the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury, since the Archbishop is so frequently away fulfilling national and international duties.

The Suffragan Bishop of Maidstone is a second assistant working in the diocese. The suffragan bishops of Ebbsfleet and Richborough, on the other hand, are provincial episcopal visitors for the whole Province of Canterbury, licensed by the Archbishop as "flying bishops" to visit parishes throughout the province who are uncomfortable with the ministrations of their local bishop who has participated in the ordination of women. Style and privileges Both the Archbishops of Canterbury and York are styled "The Most Reverend"; retired Archbishops as "The Right Reverend". Archbishops are, by convention, appointed to the Privy Council , and may therefore also use " The Right Honourable" for life (unless they are later removed from the Council). In formal documents, the Archbishop of Canterbury is referred to as "The Most Reverend Father in God, Forenames, by Divine Providence Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate of All England and Metropolitan". In debates in the House of Lords, the Archbishop is referred to as "The Most Reverend Primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury". "The Right Honourable" is not used in either instance.

He may also be formally addressed as "Your Grace" - or, more often these days, simply as "Archbishop", "Father" or (in the current instance) "Dr Williams". The surname of the Archbishop of Canterbury is not used in formal documents; only the forenames and see are mentioned. The Archbishop is legally permitted to sign his name as "Cantuar" (from the Latin for Canterbury). He shares the right to use only a title in the signature with the Archbishop of York, other bishops, and Peers of the Realm. In the order of precedence, the Archbishop of Canterbury is ranked above all individuals in the realm, with the exception of the Sovereign and members of the Royal Family. Immediately below him is the Lord Chancellor, and then the Archbishop of York. The Archbishop of Canterbury's official London residence is Lambeth Palace, photographed looking east across the River Thames . The Archbishop of Canterbury's official residence in London is Lambeth Palace. Until the 19th century , the Archbishops also had major residences at Croydon Palace and Addington Palace. There are also the ruins of a Palace at Otford.

The following Archbishops have died at Lambeth: Wittlesey, in 1375; Kemp, 1453; Dean, 1504; all buried in Canterbury Cathedral: Cardinal Pole, the last Roman Catholic archbishop, 1558, after lying in state here 40 days was buried at Canterbury; Parker, 1575, buried in Lambeth Chapel; Whitgift, 1604, buried at Croydon; Bancroft, 1610, buried at Lambeth; Juxon, 1663, buried in the chapel of St. John's College, Oxford; Sheldon, 1667, buried at Croydon; Tillotson, 1694, buried in the church of St. Laurence Jewry, London; Tennison, 1715; and Potter, 1747, both buried at Croydon; Seeker, 1768; Cornwallis, 1783, and Moore, 1805, all buried at Lambeth.

Of the mediæval archbishops, in 1381 Simon of Sudbury fell a victim to Wat Tyler and his followers when they attacked Lambeth Palace. Retrieved from " " This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia with only minor checks and changes (see for details of authors and sources) and is available under the Archbishop of Canterbury – Canterbury Cathedral Home » Get Involved » Who Does What? » Archbishop of Canterbury menu » The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. The current Archbishop is the Most Revd and Rt Hon Justin Welby, who was enthroned at Canterbury Cathedral on 21 March 2013. Justin Welby is the 105th in a line which goes back more than 1,400 years to Augustine of Canterbury who was sent from Rome in 597AD. The Archbishop presides over major services at the Cathedral, such as Easter and Christmas, but is normally based in Lambeth Palace. When in Canterbury, the Archbishop and his family reside in the Old Palace, immediately next to the Cathedral.

Question: What is the name of the official residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury?
Answer: LAMBETH PALACE